1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to prescription reminder devices. More specifically, the invention is primarily intended for use as a bottle or container cap reminder device that is attachable to a standard prescription bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art of modem medicine the use of prescription drugs is very important in the treatment of ailments and illnesses. In order to remind patients of the need to regularly and consistently take prescription drugs, health care providers tell patients when to take prescribed dosages and pharmacists label the containers of prescription devices with the prescribed dosages and frequencies of taking the drugs.
For various reasons, many patients forget to take their prescription drugs and so the need for a prescription reminder device is needed and important for health and safety reasons. Accordingly, many devices exist for reminding patients to take their prescription drugs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,933 shows a Container With Indicating Closure that uses a manually operable rotary reminder wheel to indicate days and hours so as to show when the next dosage is to be taken. U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,224 shows a Container With Time Indicator that is manually set by the user.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,176 shows an Apparatus For Alerting A Patient To Take Medication that utilizes an electrical signaling system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,705 discloses a Drug Dispensing Event Detector designed to show the time elapsed between opening and closing the cap so as to compare and show whether the cap was mishandled. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,955 shows a Medicament Container With Timer Top that uses a mechanical clock means and U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,016 shows a Device For Indicating Last Medication Usage wherein the device shows the user the time at which he or she last took a previous dose of medication by showing the time and day of week when the cap was last opened. This device continues to display this information, even after reclosing the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,661 shows a Medication Dosage Timing Apparatus that with a timing apparatus that is activated and deactivated by moving a battery into and out of direct contact with the timing apparatus. The apparatus suffers in that the movement of the battery allows for the inadvertent contact between the timing apparatus and the battery by simply shaking the bottle. Consequently, a more reliable means of activating and deactivating a clock is needed.
What is needed is a means for reliably displaying the correct time elapsed since a prescription container or bottle has been opened, presumably, for taking a required dosage of prescription drugs, or medicine. The device must be simple in order to minimize the cost of manufacturing the device and capable of application to the varied standard prescription bottles and containers known in the art.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide a bottle cap reminder device that is compact and adaptable to any standard prescription bottle or container.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a bottle cap reminder device that correctly displays the time elapsed since a prescription bottle or container has been opened, which then resets itself upon reclosure of the device to the prescription bottle or container.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a bottle cap reminder device that is simple and economical to manufacture.
Other objects of my invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a bottle cap reminder device that displays the time elapsed since a prescription bottle or container has been opened, which then resets itself upon reclosure of the device to the prescription bottle or container.
It is a further object of my invention to provide a bottle cap reminder device that is simple and economical to manufacture.
To achieve these objectives, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention the following bottle cap reminder device is presented.
The bottle cap reminder device is comprised of a cap. The cap has a generally circular planar end with an aperture therethrough and a skirt extending circumferentially around the planar end, the skirt defining an open end. The skirt has an interior and an exterior surface. The interior surface has a plurality of engaging structures located near the open end to interlock with corresponding cap engagement lip structures located on a bottle.
An electronic counter means progressively counts the time when activated and resets the time when deactivated. The electronic counter means is disposed within the cap. The electronic counter means has a time counter display which displays the elapsed time. The time counter display is positioned coextensively with the aperture in the cap in order to allow the time counter display to be visible through the cap.
A power source preferably a battery provides the energy to run the electronic counter means. The power source is preferably housed within the electronic counter means and connected in circuit to the electronic counter means.
A switching means is employed to activate and deactivate the electronic counter means. The switching means completes a circuit between the power source and the electric counter means activating the electronic counter means when the cap is secured onto a bottle, and opening the circuit between the battery and the electronic counting means when the cap is not secured onto a bottle thereby deactivating the electronic counter means.
The switching means is comprised of a conductive contact lever connected in circuit to and extending from the electronic counter means, a conductive contact spring in conductive contact with the power source, and a conductive contact plate in conductive contact with the conductive contact spring.
The conductive contact lever is connected in circuit to the electronic counter means and extends from the electronic counter means in a circumferential and longitudinal direction towards the contact plate. The conductive contact spring has a first end and a second end. The first end is in conductive contact with the battery. The conductive contact spring is disposed within the cap to allow the spring to compress and decompress longitudinally within the cap. The conductive contact plate is disposed within the cap overlaying and in conductive contact with the second end of the conductive contact spring.
When the cap is secured onto a bottle, the contact plate moves longitudinally towards the contact lever compressing the contact spring and eventually contacting the conductive contact lever. Contact between the contact lever and the contact plate completes a conductive pathway between the power source and the electronic counter means activating the electronic counter means. When the cap is removed from a bottle, the contact spring decompresses moving the contact plate longitudinally away from the contact lever breaking contact between the contact plate and the contact lever. With no contact between the contact plate and the contact lever, no power is supplied to the electronic counter means and the electronic counter means is deactivated.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.